‘For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’ Hebrews 4:12
The Bible. How often is it mistakenly viewed as a dusty old rule book? A book often regarded by those who do not follow Jesus as a dead book, written by (very) dead people.
Nestled in our churches’ pews; seemingly untouched but still in great demand on bookshop shelves across the world; carried fearlessly around in Christian circles (and admittedly not as fearlessly around everywhere else). Our copies of God’s word.
Written by an author, with a difference – He is the Word in the pages (John 1:1). And though the men He spoke through are gone (2 Peter 1:21), He is alive!
Therefore, we can know that when we read the Bible God actually speaks to us! The living, the constant, the only true God in a world where we are surrounded by other things clamouring to take His rightful place in our hearts and minds.
The God active in the world today, with active words that cut us to the core when we read or hear them, and convict us: of things we’ve never realised about God, or ourselves, before. Who needs a self-help book?
Our sword, an integral part of our armour God provides us who believe in Him with (Ephesians 6:17). Truth itself, confronting and destroying the lies of the world we face everyday. The truth which sets us free (John 8:31-32). What more could we need?
God longs to speak to us through His word. If He did not want to connect with us on a personal and intimate level, why would He bother? Why would He sent His only perfect Son to die for us when we don’t deserve it? Why would millions suffer willingly since then in Jesus’ name? Why would the Bible have survived for so long, and how come it impacts the lives of so many people today, if it were not true?
Let’s immerse ourselves in God’s word, the truth, and through it grow closer to Jesus as we walk His way and follow Him alone.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Friday, 16 October 2009
Thursday, 15 October 2009
The Best Houseparty Ever!
‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.’ John 14:1-3
Imagine if Heaven was like a hotel, or a restaurant, or a trampoline – that it has a limited space capacity. That somehow it already has a limited number of rooms reserved in advance for all the religious people, or practically perfect people, or morally and politically correct people or the goodie-two shoes: as a consequence everyone else is shunted aside, as there just isn’t enough room.
But Jesus has ensured that there are ‘many’ rooms, that ANYONE willing to accept his invitation will not be let down or disappointed once they reach God’s home. The God who formed us and breathed life into us, and loves us with a love surpassing all love we’ll ever experience. No one who trusts in Him will be turned away.
If this God loves us so much, that He’d let His only perfect Son be beaten, abused and crucified, for us who only ignore and sadden Him, and live our lives as if our Creator does not exist, so that we who acknowledge this can know God personally… So that we will not undergo an existence after this one completely without the presence of the God of all good…
If Jesus willingly suffered (John 18:11) for the world’s sin, why would he lie about this? Why would he have deceived his anxious disciples who were fearfully listening to Him? Why would he deceive us now, who still urgently need His message? And furthermore, if we cannot get to Heaven by the good things we have done, how else will we get to the best house party this world has ever seen?
We can only get there through Jesus – He alone has the power to free us from this world’s chains and lead us home. And not only after we die but when He returns, in all His majesty and splendour, so everyone on earth will see the Saviour at last, will He take all who follow Him away with Him.
And from then on we will always remain with Him, in His house, as his adopted heirs and always be fully satisfied and completely happy in a new perfect world.
Imagine if Heaven was like a hotel, or a restaurant, or a trampoline – that it has a limited space capacity. That somehow it already has a limited number of rooms reserved in advance for all the religious people, or practically perfect people, or morally and politically correct people or the goodie-two shoes: as a consequence everyone else is shunted aside, as there just isn’t enough room.
But Jesus has ensured that there are ‘many’ rooms, that ANYONE willing to accept his invitation will not be let down or disappointed once they reach God’s home. The God who formed us and breathed life into us, and loves us with a love surpassing all love we’ll ever experience. No one who trusts in Him will be turned away.
If this God loves us so much, that He’d let His only perfect Son be beaten, abused and crucified, for us who only ignore and sadden Him, and live our lives as if our Creator does not exist, so that we who acknowledge this can know God personally… So that we will not undergo an existence after this one completely without the presence of the God of all good…
If Jesus willingly suffered (John 18:11) for the world’s sin, why would he lie about this? Why would he have deceived his anxious disciples who were fearfully listening to Him? Why would he deceive us now, who still urgently need His message? And furthermore, if we cannot get to Heaven by the good things we have done, how else will we get to the best house party this world has ever seen?
We can only get there through Jesus – He alone has the power to free us from this world’s chains and lead us home. And not only after we die but when He returns, in all His majesty and splendour, so everyone on earth will see the Saviour at last, will He take all who follow Him away with Him.
And from then on we will always remain with Him, in His house, as his adopted heirs and always be fully satisfied and completely happy in a new perfect world.
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